With so many forms of visual entertainment available today, the average person might have a hard time choosing their particular veg-out material. Not me. Given the choice, I'll without fail say, "Fuck all," and watch cartoons. Nothing better on television ... whatever form of that you may have. Be it cable, satellite or just plain broadcast, you'll not find a more richly entertaining experience than to watch something or other that involves animation. Why, you may ask? Well, it all breaks down into three rather simple points.
1. Cartoons work on many different levels at once. It's not always easy to find something that people from different age groups can all agree to watch together, but this should never be a problem with cartoons. If the 'toon is well done (not talking about some My Little Pony shit here), then everyone watching should be able to find some form of humor or entertainment in watching it. The younger folk will enjoy the visual gags and general lunacy that is invariably present, while there is usually enough verbal humor to keep the more worldly sort entertained. The Simpsons is a great example of this. It has just as large a following in the grammar school ages as it does in the 25-30 crowd. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that they are not watching for the same reasons. Also, this many levels thing means that the same shit you saw on some Saturday morning when you were a kid can be funny again when you see it 20 years later.
2. Cartoons can be educational. Good thing is, you hardly notice it. I say this is a good thing because a lot of people, especially children, don't want to learn while they are watching television. But the cartoon makers, in their infinite wisdom, didn't really let on they were teaching you anything. And let's face it, the only way you're going to get a kid to learn something voluntarily is to trick the little bastard into learning. Ads and educational programs have all but come right out and said so. "Little Billy used to never want to learn proper grammar and diction. But that all changed when we bought the 'Super-Duper-Grammar-Fun-Game!' Now he sounds just like a little politician. We're so pleased." Cartoons can offer this same type of learning-by-deception and it doesn't cost a dime. Well, basic cable fees, but other than that ... Case in point, classical music. Remember all those Warner Bros. 'toons? Remember all the background music and sound effects? All that shit was done with a regular orchestra. Many of the background tunes are well known pieces by famous composers. Take, for instance, Rossini. Want your child to experience firsthand the joys of opera? Good luck getting him to sit through the PBS version of the Barber of Seville. But, plop him or her down in from of the Rabbit of Seville and let him watch Bugs Bunny give Elmer Fudd the treatment, and you'll have one happy little tax deduction.
3. Well ... here's where I sort of got bored writing the thing ... heh. Didn't really have a point to begin with, was just watching Cartoon Network and, like I said, had nothing better to do. Just a little pointless rant, article, what-have-you. Not meant to be posted, just figured if you were looking for new people, I'd send something in. Anyway, let me know what you think either way.
To bad I posted it anyways -Eod
--furth3r